NOVEMBER SPEAKER DR. JESSICA TAN -DIVING INTO THE HURRICANES: THEIR MIGHTY DANCE OVER THE BLUE, THEIR DEADLY KISS ON THE SHORES, AND OUR JOURNEY TO COEXIST

Dr. Tan at RMAS Hurricane Lab, Univ of Miami

From the catastrophic loss of the Spanish treasure fleet in 1733 to the devastating tragedies of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which claimed over 200 lives, hurricanes have long been viewed as nature's most fearsome phenomenon in the tropics. With their fierce winds tearing apart rooftops, torrential rains causing floods, and towering waves swallowing ships and shorelines, these storms have shaped both history and coastlines alike. 

For over a century, scientists have tirelessly pursued a deeper understanding of the forces that give rise to hurricanes, the elements that fuel their power, and how we can improve our ability to forecast and track them with greater precision. At the University of Miami, our club member and speaker, Jessica Tan, along with a team of researchers from NOAA, NASA, the US Navy and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) are at the forefront of this quest. Together, they seek to refine the models that predict hurricane behavior and explore innovative, eco-friendly solutions, like artificial reefs, to design breakwaters that protect our shores. 

Join SFDI on November 6th, when Jessica will unveil the mysteries behind hurricane formation and offer a glimpse into the science that seeks to safeguard South Florida’s future, ensuring a safer tomorrow for all who call this vulnerable region home. 

ABOUT DR. JESSICA PEISEN TAN 

Jessica Peisen Tan, originally from China, recently defended her PhD in Ocean Sciences at the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmosphere and Earth Sciences. Growing up on the Pacific coast of China, she spent her childhood on the beach collecting seashells, which ignited her passion for marine science. A family trip to Honolulu in 2015, her first time on US soil, inspired her to pursue her American dream as a marine scientist. 

At the University of Miami's SUSTAIN (SUrge-STructure-Atmosphere Interaction) Lab, Jessica has collaborated with other scientists to simulate Category 5 hurricanes and beyond. She has hosted SFDI club members at the Lab for an informative visit.  With a passion for communication, she has published her research in journals and presented at international conferences, including, most recently, the Physical Oceanography Dissertation Symposium in Hawaii. 

In addition to her academic pursuits, Jessica enjoys being a part-time underwater photographer, hitting the gym, and occasionally modeling for fashion brands.

October Speaker Luke Durso - Debris Removal Diving in the Keys

LUKE DURSO

Luke Durso grew up in a Philadelphia suburb but had always been drawn to the outdoors. He achieve Eagle scout in the Boy Scouts and his next adventuring took him into the Grand Tetons. Luke began is education at Garrett County Community College (McHenry Maryland), the Adventure Sports Institute, for his Associate in Adventure Sports Management, and Southern Oregon his  B.S. in Outdoor Adventure Leadership. During his time at SOU, the Outdoor Program and community, he took the open water scuba class. After graduation, Luke took an Internship in Roatan Honduras for the Divemaster Program, then back to SOU to complete his Instructor Course then on to teaching the Open Water and AOW Scuba courses for SOU in the program.

After a couple years, Florida’s east coast, warm water, and family called and the Keys seemed like a viable option. His first visit/move to Key Largo, happened right after Hurricane Irma in 2017. On arrival, debris piles were stories high in every inch of median space and huge clean-up efforts were being conducted. His first dives were with instructors, seeing first-hand what the hurricane did to the reefs they knew and loved so much. Everyone was devastated by the hurricane’s impactful. Soon Goal Clean Seas Florida Keys was launched as a sponsored Marine Debris Removal and Luke became very active in the marine debris diving side of things in the Keys.

Luke is excited to be presenting on Debris Removal Diving in the Keys!

September Speaker Dr. Richard Coleman, A DEEP PEAK INTO THE TWILIGHT: INSIGHT INTO MESOPHOTIC FISH COMMUNITIES

Despite a wealth of diversity and abundance, mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs) continue to be understudied, especially in island locations. MCEs are the light-dependent coral, sponge and algae communities that typically range from depths of 100 feet to over 450 feet in tropical and subtropical regions. Although there has been a surge in scientific research, information on the ecology and community composition of MCEs remains scarce.

Join SFDI on September 4th, when Dr. Richard Coleman will describe the tools that scientists use to access MCEs, as we travel to locations throughout the Pacific, including Hawai’i, Australia, the Philippines, and Kiritibati in Micronesia.  We’ll learn about the traits that shape MCE fish communities, including body shape and diet, as well as the global patterns that have been observed. We will end with future plans for research in the Caribbean.

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ABOUT DR. RICHARD COLEMAN

Dr. Coleman is an Assistant Professor of Marine Biology and Ecology at the Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science at the University of Miami. He earned his PhD in Zoology at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and his BS in Marine Biology at San Francisco State University. His research focuses on the processes that influence the spatial distribution of fishes and understanding the mechanisms that create and maintain biodiversity in the marine realm. Through his research, Richard helped to inform fisheries management, and has provided insights in ecological processes and the evolution of fishes. His research has brought him to many places throughout the world including the Philippines, Kiritibati in Micronesia, Saudi Arabia, Norway and Colombia, among many others. As a trained closed-circuit rebreather diver, he has dived to depths as deep as 400 feet to investigate how fish communities differ between shallow and deep low light environments.  Richard will be presenting in person!

August Speaker Maddie Cholnoky

Maddie Cholnoky has always been drawn to the ocean, ever since her first word, "fish". Her journey led her to Key Largo, Florida in 2018, where she dedicated herself to a career in scuba diving instruction and marine conservation. Maddie has an undergraduate degree in environmental studies from Rollins College, and a master’s degree is in environmental sciences and policy from Johns Hopkins University. She is also an MSDT PADI instructor and, in her free time, enjoys helping local dive operators by guiding clients around Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, and teaching them how to be smart, safe divers and stewards of the underwater world.

Maddie is the Mission: Iconic Reefs implementation manager. Her role involves coordinating, managing and tracking all aspects of Mission: Iconic Reefs implementation including collaborating with coral restoration practitioners and other external partners, overseeing project progress, and analyzing metrics to ensure project goals and objectives are met. Maddie's position works to support resource protection and restoration goals in the sanctuary.